(CNN) - The lawyer for the New Jersey special legislative committee investigating the Christie administration's role in a September shutdown of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge met with federal prosecutors Friday.

A statement released by the committee's co-chairs - Assemblyman John Wisniewski and Sen. Loretta Weinberg - confirmed that Reid Schar, the attorney handling the legislature's probe, met with officials from U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman's office, the latest signal that the federal inquiry into the "Bridgegate" affair may become a full-blown criminal investigation.

"I am comfortable that the committee's investigation may continue," Schar said in the statement.

"We will be mindful of the need to avoid taking steps that could inappropriately impede any investigation the U.S. attorney's office may be conducting," Schar said.

David Wildstein, a former New Jersey Port Authority official and Christie appointee, on Friday alleged "evidence exists" that contradicts Gov. Chris Christie’s claim he knew nothing about the notorious traffic lane closures in Fort Lee that were part of a political revenge scheme to punish the town's mayor for not endorsing Christie for re-election.

The fresh allegations from Wildstein's legal team, led by Alan Zegas, reignited the debate over whether the governor knew his aides had instructed the Port Authority to snarl traffic.

A statement released by the Christie administration said the letter written by Zegas "confirms what the governor has said all along - he had absolutely no prior knowledge of the lane closures before they happened and whatever Mr. Wildstein's motivations were for closing them to begin with." Wildstein resigned his Port Authority post.

Christie has seen his poll numbers fall dramatically since the allegations emerged. An ABC News/Washington Post national survey released Thursday morning indicated Christie continues to lose support, as he garnered only 13% support in a hypothetical contest for the 2016 Republican Party presidential nomination.

Multiple polls at the end of 2013 showed Christie as the unquestioned front-runner.

soundoff(10 Responses)

Bridgegate might be the straw that broke that fat slobs back..You remember his giving that ad company the winning bid over 2x times higher only because his family was exclusively used in said ads for the state.How much did he get from that company and the ad money was out of Sandys emergency funds now being investigated..His using the states helicopter to fly to his sons little league game and when asked he said why not I'm the governor..How bout as NJ AG he deliberately either curtailed,suspended or dragged out court cases because his campaign contributors were involved,sound like NJ hanky panky ha...It's coming back to haunt Christie and now his team of bullies he hired and fired are taking him down too with them aren't they..Wonder how Christie will look in strips,the verticle ones

February 1, 2014 06:47 pm at 6:47 pm |

Thomas

The "Bridgegate" affair may become a full-blown criminal investigation.
Christie has seen his poll numbers fall dramatically since the allegations emerged.

The Bigger they are , the harder they fall !
You can't lie your way past the " Toll Booths of Glory "

And behind these closed doors the talk will go something like this. How can we sweep this under the rug, without causing too much of a stir? And, how can we whitewash the parts that can not be swept under the rug. We need a plan boys, let's get our thinking caps on. It's better to expend effort on a cover-up, than tell the truth. We've got to protect our namby pamby jobs you know.

February 1, 2014 09:07 pm at 9:07 pm |

jimmyjo

Christie is toast!

February 1, 2014 10:12 pm at 10:12 pm |

S. B. Stein

We'll find out that there was more that Christie knew. It was just how clearly that he knew and when he knew it.

February 1, 2014 11:06 pm at 11:06 pm |

J.V.Hodgson

The smoke density increases.The fire is getting bigger. Christies defense is so out of character as to how he runs things in reality.
This thing is now getting beyond GWB and Hoboken, its spreading to Ellis county and the failure of oversight of sandy money and why 26,000 home owners affected cant get or understand how to make their claims and get money.
HGI $68M EY oversight ineffective. No 3 monthly reports to State senate as per law signed by Christie in March 2013!?
Spending $6m on an OAP home in a district largely unaffected by Sandy, and a project underway and approved before Sandy and then giving $6m as Sandy that could have re-built 20 homes completely in Hoboken.
This whole thing stinks and someone who CC has Treated badly will especially if the Subpoenas are respected. if not most of us Hobo's will know and smell a rat when its around and behave accordingly.
Regards,
Hodgson

Christie has created a mess for himself and the people of New Jersey. If this is the quality of his appointee's ,and the people he chooses to surround himself with. Then he is sadly mistaken to think the nation's voters want to put him in power to do the same again. The curtian has been lifted on this Wizard of Oz!!!

February 2, 2014 07:58 am at 7:58 am |

Gunderson

Aw Hoom,
A inudendo here, a indundo there, pretty soon we have real crisis on hands. Traffic Jam? With Traffic on George Washington Bridge, hard to tell. Bot old Gunderson see all the "Experts" on board. I know, off with his head! That fix problem!

February 2, 2014 11:02 am at 11:02 am |

Tampa Tim

McCain gave us Palin, Krispy gave us incompetents and turned them loose to wreak havoc on the people who did not support him.